Archive: Dec 2013

We can't believe it, but 2013 is nearly over and another year is about to begin! This was a great year. They all are, but 2013 was particularly fun. We met great people, we tasted wonderful food and local wines, and the beer – well, let's just say that the craft beer in San Diego gets better and more plentiful by the year.  New Year's traditions around the world involve spiked punch and champagne, but we really think that the only real way to celebrate the arrival of 2014 is with a California wine or a San Diego brew. After all, what you do on New Year's will set the tone for the next twelve months! Do you have guests in from out of town? Are you a group looking for a wine or beer pairing luncheon or dinner party….

Was it a banner year for you? We hope so. It sure was for us, as we continue to have the pleasure of serving you up our fantastic beer, wine and food tours. Happy Holidays from San Diego Beer and Wine Tours! This is it – the final countdown to the end of 2013. This is the time of year when the best thing in the world is being around the people you love the most.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Saturnalia, or the Solstice, it's always made better by sipping at a hot buttered rum, warm spiced wine or cider, or perhaps an old-fashioned eggnog. Speaking of eggnog, did you know that eggnog was once the cause of a riot around this time of year? It happened in 1826, when some enterprising West Point cadets smuggled a large quantity of…

We don't just take our wines and beers seriously around here. We also take our food seriously. After all, a delicious meal is at least half the equation when it comes to some serious pairings! We don't make restaurant recommendations lightly for that very reason – we eat so much food that it takes quite a lot to impress us. That's why it's incumbent on us to let you know about one of our very favorite restaurants in San Diego, Fresco Trattoria & Bar. This little gem (actually, there are two: one in Carlsbad and one in Bonsall) is everything you would want in Italian food. Its owner, Leone D'Arcangelo, was born and bred in Sperlonga, Italy, and knows his cuisine like the back of his hand. He also insists on nothing but the freshest of ingredients to make his…